his troops, in his tent by his revolted generals, he had escaped, and alone, made an appeal to his brave Dalecarlians.  His eloquence, and his magnanimous bearing had caused a new army to spring from the earth.  He had punished traitors, rallied cowards, concluded the war, and returned triumphant to Stockholm, borne on the shoulders of his people, wrought up to a pitch of enthusiasm.  The second time, seeing his country torn by the anarchical predominance of the nobility, he had resolved, in the depths of his own palace, on the overthrow of the constitution.  United in feeling with the bourgeoisie and the people, he had led on his troops, sword in hand; imprisoned the senate in its chamber; dethroned the nobility, and acquired for royalty the prerogatives it required in order to defend and govern the country.  In three days, and before one drop of blood had been shed, Sweden under his sword had become a monarchy.  Gustavus’s confidence in his own boldness was confirmed.  The monarchical feeling in him was strengthened by all the hatred which he bore to the privileges of the orders he had overturned.  The cause of the king was identified with his own.

He had embraced with enthusiasm that of Louis XVI.  Peace, which he had concluded with Russia, allowed him to direct his attention and his forces towards France.  His military genius dreamed of a triumphant expedition to the banks of the Seine.  It was there that he desired to acquire glory.  He had visited Paris in his youth; under the name of the Count de Haga he had partaken of the hospitalities of Versailles.  Marie Antoinette, then in the brilliancy of her youth and beauty, now appeared humiliated, and a captive in the hands of a pitiless people.  To deliver this woman, restore the throne, to make himself at once feared and blessed by this capital, seemed to him one of those adventures formerly sought by crowned chevaliers.  His finances alone opposed the execution of this bold design.  He negotiated a loan with the court of Spain, attached to him the French emigrants renowned for their military talents, requested plans from the Marquis de Bouille, solicited the courts of St. Petersburg and Berlin to unite with him in this crusade of kings.  He asked of England nothing but neutrality.  Russia encouraged him; Austria temporised; Spain trembled; England looked on.  Each new shock of the Revolution at Paris found Europe undecided and always behind-hand in counsels and resolutions.  Monarchical Europe, hesitating and divided, did not know what it had to fear, nor what it ought to do.

Such was the political situation of cabinets with respect to France.  But as to ideas, the feelings of the people were different.